Mediation Services, Trainings, and Lectures

What is mediation? Mediation is a process involving at least two parties that are experiencing a conflict and are working toward achieving an acceptable resolution. In mediation, each party both individually and collectively discusses and addresses issues and concerns, strives to achieve mutual understanding, and work toward establishing agreements that will resolve the conflict. Mediation has a structure and timetable. The mediation process is private, confidential, and facilitated by one or more trained, neutral mediators.

Mediation helps participants:
• Identify the concern
• Confront the issues (not the persons) related to the concern
• Listen with an open mind to the feelings, interests, and needs of the persons involved
• Treat a person's feelings with respect
• Identify multiple options for resolving the concern
• Select options for resolving the concern by mutual agreement
• Take responsibility for implementing agreements

Benefits of Mediation:
• Convenient: Appointments are arranged to meet the schedules of the persons involved.
• Private: All procedures are confidential.
• Voluntary: Persons participate only if they choose to do so.
• Community-building: Resolving concerns through cooperation results in improved relationships and a stronger, safer community.
• Affirming: Individuals enhance their self-esteem, mutual respect, and new skills to deal with future concerns.
• Time-saving: Mediation usually results in a much faster resolution to concerns than when conflicts are taken elsewhere.
Mediation Services at Ball State. The Center for Peace and Conflict Studies offers a diverse variety of mediation services to persons (faculty members, staff, students) affiliated with Ball State University and to individuals, organizations, agencies, companies, and others located off campus. Our team of mediators is comprised of individuals from Ball State University and the Muncie community.

The type of mediation service needed and characteristics of the clients influence which and how many mediators deliver the service. Further, the location of the mediation service is based on the appropriateness of offering the service in the Center or elsewhere. The length of mediation can vary from one hour for a mediation intake session or mediation lecture to potentially 32 hours for an intensive mediation-training program designed to prepare individuals to become mediators. In general, a mediation involving two parties will require one hour per party for an intake, and three hours for the mediation session itself.
Mediation Fees.*Mediation Session: $25 to $200 per hour for each mediator depending on the number of parties and each party’s financial ability. Mediation services are free of charge to persons affiliated with Ball State University.
Mediation Training: $200 to $250 per participant depending on the number of participants.

Mediation Lecture: $75 to $250 per hour depending on the assets of the requesting organization. A lecture on mediation is available free of charge to classes offered at Ball State University.
Brief History of Mediation Services at Ball State. The Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Ball State University has been offering mediation services since the early 1990s. Initially, CRD Associates in Boulder, Colorado trained a group of Ball State staff and faculty members in mediation. Later, Ball State staff, faculty members, and students as well as Muncie community members were taught the transformative mediation approach by a staff member of Education for Conflict Resolution, Inc. in North Manchester, Indiana. Historically, the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies has assisted schools in developing and implementing peer mediation programs, and it has offered, for instance, a host of mediation services through Christian Ministries, the Muncie Housing Authority, TEAMwork for Quality Living, and the Muncie Police Department.

*Note. Transportation, lodging, and other travel and living expenses are an additional charge.
For further information and to schedule mediation services, contact the Center for Peace & Conflict Studies at 765-285-1622 or peacecenter@bsu.edu.